


I Offer Myself To You Again

by digthewriter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Books, F/M, Hogwarts, Hopeful Ending, Older Characters, Pining, Summer, Summertime Blues, Travel, summertime, yours
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-14 00:18:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19262119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/digthewriter/pseuds/digthewriter
Summary: It's difficult to ignore one's feelings when presented with the most precious and rare gift.





	I Offer Myself To You Again

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Milotzi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milotzi/gifts).



> So I write one HET fic a year - and it's usually for the RARE PAIR SHORTS summer wishlist event and this year, the lucky recipient is MILOTZI.
> 
>  **Request/Prompt Used:** A list from [THIS POST](https://rarepair-shorts.livejournal.com/654413.html?thread=2356045#t2356045) | Prompts: 1. summertime blues. 2. who'd have thought. 3. Hogwarts. 4. coffee, tea, whiskey. 5. second chances. 6. yours. 7. alone or together. 8. books. 9. if not now then when. 10. dry

Minerva woke up early in the morning and took a trip to her favourite village, Iasathis. She loved the summer— not only because the castle was always so quiet but also because she could indulge herself in these small trips to get her mind off the one thing bothering her of late. 

She still couldn't believe the question had been asked. 

He was so much younger than her and… she sighed. There was no point in dwelling on what was never going to happen. Mainly because Minerva wouldn't allow it. 

Besides the age difference, _he_ was also her colleague. It was bad enough her heart fluttered whenever he came around to tease her about how their Quidditch team had won _again_ ; and his words were always so…poignant. Dry and still full of humour. His eyes would crinkle and he'd wait for Minerva's reaction but she'd simply roll her eyes, shush him, and move on. 

Perhaps it was why he was this way with her. 

Well, she very well couldn't change her ways at her age now, could she? 

After spending most of her afternoon browsing in bookshops, she still couldn't find that one she'd been looking for, Minerva decided to make her way back to the Portkey and head back home. 

Home.  
Hogwarts.  
Where he _too_ resided. 

She hadn't expected much from her evening. She was simply going to draw herself a bath, enjoy a bit of sherry—well if no one was looking— and perhaps summon a house-elf to kindly request her tea in her rooms…when her evening became quite unexpected. 

At the foot of her door, she found a small package. She could tell it was a book, but it was wrapped delicately. Each ribbon weaved with care. She quickly went to her favourite chair and started to open it carefully. She didn't know who it was from, or how it was even delivered, but when she opened the package completely, her breath caught. 

_Searching At The Elements_. 

It was a rare book published over a hundred years before her time and said to be one of the most sought after spell books. Some of the most powerful wizards couldn't decipher half the spells in the book as the magic required one to be stable in all five elements. It was something that'd always intrigued her and she'd rarely spoken of the book amongst her friends. 

As a joke, mostly to herself, she enjoyed travelling in far villages, Muggle and wizarding, searching for the book. 

And now, it was there at her doorstep. She had a very sneaky suspicion to who it was that was responsible for delivering such a thoughtful present. 

Minerva sighed. She summoned her ink and quill and hastily wrote the note. She called for her favourite house-elf to bring her tea and deliver the note to its rightful recipient. 

_Severus._

_Your gift is very thoughtful and generous. I surely, do not deserve this much kindness. Needless to say, simply the words Thank You aren't enough. _

_Would you please join me for tea tomorrow evening? I would be honoured by your presence._

_Sincerely,  
Minerva._

The reply didn't take long to arrive. However, it wasn't in the form Minerva had expected. Instead of an owl, or simply a Hogwarts house-elf returning with a note, it was Severus himself who knocked on Minerva's door. 

"Bold of you to knock on my door so late in the evening," she said. 

His lips quirked for a mere second before Severus composed himself. "I've been known to make bolder propositions. May I enter?" 

Minerva allowed him in her quarters and quickly closed the door behind them. 

"Does your note mean you've reconsidered my…offer. I had hoped with my present you would see how sincere my affections are." 

She chuckled softly. "Why do I get the feeling you've been sitting on that book for ages now, and had decided to use it as your last resort?" 

"That would be most deceptive of me," he said. 

"Yes, but not out of character." 

"You wound me, Minerva." 

"Severus—" 

He closed the distance between them but didn't make any other sort of move. "How else can I express my sentiments?" he asked, his voice quivering. "It's one dinner invitation." 

"I'm too old for you." 

He didn't reply as he continued to stare at her. She had half a mind to step back, make him go away, but something kept her there. It kept them both there. She'd denied him for too long and he'd been persistent. It'd been in his own little ways, of course. He'd been nothing but respectful to her and towards their friendship. But the dinner invitation, for the two of them, away from Hogwarts and its prying eyes had meant more. 

"Yes." 

At that he quirked his eyebrow. 

"I can see for your feelings to be true and perhaps my reasoning hasn't been entirely logical. We are good friends. In a way, I'm afraid of how things might transform and it would be too late—" 

He grabbed her hands then and gently squeezed them. "You are the closest person to me and I wouldn't have requested more if I weren't absolutely certain that we can be _good_ together. I'm also afraid of losing our friendship, but, I lay awake at night because I haven't been able to express how I truly feel. One chance. It's all I ask for." 

She gave a gentle nod and he let go of her hands. "Very well," she said and he smiled as if she'd never seen him smile before. 

"Very well," he said, as well.


End file.
